Titanic: The High-Concept Film that Set Sail by Way of Marketing

Paper by Lexi Hindemith. Viewed on DVD.

High concept event cinema has been termed the milestone in the mainstream of American filmmaking and has been a fruitful topic to research. The essence of high concept “is a striking, easily reducible narrative which also offers a high degree of marketability. Typically, high concept films combined several elements: a narrative that could be summarized in a single phrase; an image or song that the potential audience associated with the film; “total look” style of cinematography characteristic of television and magazine advertisements and music videos; pre- sold stars or subject matter; character typing rather than character exposition; and merchandising tie-ins” (Wyatt). Justin Wyatt is the creator of the “high concept” method which is formed by a films visual imagery, marketing hooks, and reduced narratives; these three elements form the so called high concept spectrum; all Hollywood films are on the scale, but some are much lower/higher than others. Several high concept films have been made with the use of CGI (Computer Generated Imagery), which allows the greatest control over an image and is used to: enhance and modify color, create special effects, simulate climate and weather, create three dimensional characters that can interact with actors, combine multiple digital images into one frame (compositing), remove unwanted elements from a shot, create lighting effects, and create large crowd scenes. They have been made to have a mass audience appeal, with a story specific pitch, and creatively market driven. In this paper I will present the most important and interesting aspects that I have found in researching Wyatt’s high concept method and in utilizing multiple viewings of a high profile film, I will analyze as a representation of three of Wyatt’s high concept elements. Titanic set sail due to its marketing and distribution to a target audience through: its pre sold-stars and subject matter, imagery (images and songs that the audience associated with the film), and merchandising tie-ins; this is a film that Justin Wyatt would coin a high-concept film, and for good reason.

Wyatt’s “high concept” method places marketing as the driving force behind creative decision-making in mainstream Hollywood films; I also believe the most important aspect of “high concept” films to be marketing. Multiple marketing possibilities are offered with the “high concept” method; these films can be described as the most market-driven media out there and are narrated just as much through the way they are marketed as by the actual narrative. High-profile films offer something for everyone; they are attractive to their target audiences in this sense. This is the simplest of the creative marketing strategies used in the making of mainstream Hollywood films. There is a commercial imperative that is driving Hollywood, and Wyatt points that out with his method. Distribution, said to be somewhat of a ruthless industry, then guarantees market saturation by US producers; these major distributors typically aim for wide US releases, with one or two thousand prints distributed and advertised on a nationwide basis. I learned that this includes one hundred theaters in LA and eighty in New York, meaning that these wide releases now represent nearly 3⁄4 of the total box office revenue. “It is no wonder that the image of the decade is that of a Hollywood-dominated spectacle machine, making extravagant formulaic movies that play well in non-English-speaking foreign markets, at the expense of innovative development in character and storyline” (Hammond and Williams 325). Marketing and distribution of high concept films are a factor that distinguishes “high concept” from “low concept” films; they feature differences in content, marketing, and function. High concept films are sold off of a concept that is highly marketable to a mass audience, which is where advertising ties into the marketing. Advertising is huge in terms of high concept films because the advertising is what gets the creative marketing ideas, images, and slogans out into the public; these films have very high marketable properties. “The function of advertising is to establish this identity with the public by the time of opening. The pre-sold nature of high concept permits an advertising approach which frequently utilizes simple and graphically striking image and copy; the simplicity of the ad aids recall by the moviegoer” (Wyatt 24). If the advertising campaigns and efforts gave off a girly style for example, the moviegoers would assume that the film being represented was a chick flick. The advertising is everything with marketing, which is the driving force behind these high concept films.

One of the most interesting aspects of high concept films is what Justin Wyatt describes as, “pre-sold stars or subject matter” (Wyatt, 209). Wyatt believed that typically, high concept films combined multiple elements, and this is one of them. Familiarity sells, and marketers know this which is exactly why Wyatt believes marketing is the sole drive behind the making of these films. In Titanic’s case, the fact that it was a pre-sold subject matter was a negative aspect pre- release; many believed that this film would be just like the others. Marketers advertise pre-sold stars, or previous successes, to their audiences, ones who they will find attractive and be drawn to, and they put that star’s name and face all over their film. For example, a director may cast Brad Pitt as their film’s central character, and if he is cast in a male-geared film, that is where all of the marketing and advertising efforts will go and vice versa if he is in a chick flick. On disaster films and their stars, “They have large, all-star casts of characters whose stories become interwoven, and the character relationships and conflicts are put into play by the disaster situation” (Hammond and Williams 128). This is prevalent in high concept films, from the pre- sold stars, relationships and conflicts exposed in the turmoil of said disaster.

The pre-sold subject matter of high concept films is also an interesting topic of discussion; think of all of the remakes of films, the sequels, and how audiences who liked the first film flock to their premieres. Or for example Harry Potter; it was first a book, which turned into a sequel and advanced into a movie sequel. Pre-sold stars and subject matter can be very efficient in bringing in target audiences that the producers and marketers are confident will come back.
The role of marketing and distribution in this 90s high profile release was paramount to its huge success. Titanic was marketed to its audience through its imagery, narrative, stars, merchandising, soundtrack, and so much more. Everybody knew the story of Titanic, the White Star’s new liner that sank on April 14, 1912, taking down over 1,500 people with it. The film offered something for everyone; it targeted a teenage audience that fell in love with the main character and sympathized with the story. It also targeted an older audience who reminisced on the “good old days.” The creative marketing seen in Titanic is what set the movie sailing, “The combination of such an attractive subject and Cameron’s reputation for high-octane action cinema and his proven ability to make phenomenal successes out of expensive projects, generated rich pre-release publicity” (Williams and Hammond 349). There were technological developments used on the film that acted as a source for pre-release excitement, and the production and financing that went into the film were no secret amongst the public either. “The pre-release talk around the film is also reminiscent of the type of ballyhoo that surrounded Gone With the Wind and the search for Scarlett in the late 1930s. And like that behemoth, the story – well known to most of the audience prior to seeing the film – was a romance cast against momentous historical events” (Hammond and Williams 350). The marketing hook was perhaps in the narrative: Rose and Jack, two characters from very different backgrounds sharing their life stories and connecting through a forbidden love; forbidden by Rose’s upper class family and friends, and of course her snobby fiancé Cal. The contrast painted between Jack and Rose’s classes was so bright and apparent, for example the big blue diamond necklace that Cal gives Rose as he says, “Perhaps this is a reminder of my feelings for you. You know there is nothing I couldn’t give you; nothing I would deny you, if you wouldn’t deny me.” I wrote it down because it screamed to me the representation that Cal is of that upper class. Everything that he is promising rose is superficial; none of it is about love, passion, or faith, like the things that Jack offers her without needing money. On their forbidden love, Rose said, “My mother looked at him like an insect, a dangerous insect that needs to be squashed.” It is in the contrast between their lifestyles and the fact that there are people who are trying to stop them from loving each other makes the story all the more marketable to an audience.

“The combination of such an attractive subject and Cameron’s reputation for high- octance action cinema, and his proven ability to make phenomenal successes out of expensive projects, generated rich pre-release publicity. A major source of star gossip was his casting of Leonardo DiCaprio in the role of Jack, the film’s male romantic lead. This was the subject of considerable Internet interest, particularly on teenage fan Web sites, following DeCaprio’s recent success as Romeo in Baz Luhrmann’s Romeo + Juliet (1996), a surprise hit with young female audiences” (Hammond and Williams 349).

The film’s creative marketing in terms of pre-release publicity alone is astonishing. It marketed through its imagery, which will be described later on, narrative, stars, merchandising, and soundtrack to reach out to an audience that would buy. Titanic was a Paramount-Cox co-production; they each invested $60 million in the production of the film. The marketing and distribution of Titanic were done efficiently which is one of the main causes of the film’s massive success.

Another element of high- concept film that Wyatt describes is its imagery or a song that the potential audience associated with the film. High concept films are differentiated within the marketplace through an emphasis on style and through an integration with their marketing; these two things make up the image and style of a high concept film. Successful marketers need a concept that is marketable, such as pre-sold stars and subject matter mentioned earlier. Producers additionally rely heavily on the visual marketing of a film (image) to make their film stand out as a high concept film. For marketing purposes, Wyatt says, “The marketability of the concept must possess a visual form, presentable in television spots, trailers, and print ads. The high concept films therefore depend upon the visual representation of their marketable concepts in advertising” (Wyatt 23). The films success depends on this visual branding of their concepts in advertising prior to the film and after. Wyatt believes that advertising is a medium of expression that is imperative to the construction of high concept films, “By style, I am referring to the usage of techniques within the film that become characteristic of the film. Extending the common usage of the term, which relates to cinematic techniques and capabilities, I am also including as style those elements within the film (such as stars and music) which are central to the film’s operation (and marketing)” (Wyatt 23). High concept style has several components: a high concept look (through the production design and cinematography), stars, music, music tie-ins, character, and genre. It is rare for films to have every element mentioned above, while most have some or at least one; possessing all of these elements is what classifies a high concept film.

The look is there, James Cameron is very reputable for his visual imagery and the film featured a combination of live action and CGI to simulate the disaster on an epic scale for the audience, creating extras and duplicating stunt people to increase the drama. Additionally 450 special effect shots went into the making of this film, which cost over $200 million to make; the production design and cinematography are pristine. As far as the stars go, who better than Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet? DeCaprio was a pre-sold commodity. He was previously in “Romeo and Juliet,” and was a well-known heartthrob among the teenage audience; his being cast in the film really got the people buzzing, even before Titanic’s release. Audiences already knew the outcome of the story of Titanic, they knew it was a love story, and they knew that similar to Romeo and Juliet, Jack would fall in love with Rose at first sight. The marketers want their audiences to bond with the visual image of their star’s face, and connect it to their film. Titanic was a costume film, a disaster portrayed by a sticking visual image of a massive sinking ship, and if anything is visual imagery that will attract an audience it is Leonardo DeCaprio’s face. The visual imagery in the film is so amazing; Titanic truly looked like “The ship of dreams,” as Rose described it; it was so luxurious looking and it seemed as though you could live on it forever and be happy. The men and women on the ship are dressed extravagantly as if they are in the very top of society’s order, making everything about the boat and everything on it attractive, and what else is to see they’re in the middle of the ocean. One of my favorite parts of the film is when Rose is lowering down in the rescue boat, looking back up at Jack who is still on the Titanic, and there are fireworks going off behind his head, music playing, the visual imagery is so powerful.

The soundtrack sales alone brought in $400 million, a mere portion of its produced mass ancillary market. It is a marketer’s dream to brand a theme song to their title that will instantlybring one to think of their film upon hearing it. I think that this element was a very positive asset for the film, Celene Dion’s “My Heart Will Go On,” does just that; it reminds me of Titanic every single time I hear it, and I am sure I speak for many when I say that. Numerous additional films, soundtracks, singles, Imax experience films, novels, etc. were made after the film bringing in massive merchandising tie-in revenue.

The after shock of merchandising tie-ins following the release of the film brought in an immense amount of income. The film was not anticipated to be as successful as it was in the slightest, which left marketers scrambling after the fact to come up with ancillary products and advertising to profit. The plethora of merchandising tie-ins range from, like I said above: additional books and albums to TV programs, games, merchandise, and advertisements. “The “cinematic” also reaches out to a range of adjacent products, produced by the corporate gains who now own the old studio brand – books, toys, soundtrack CDs, video games, fashion. The film text then needs to be read as one element in an entertainment complex, perhaps just the inspiration for a range of products that really make the money”” (Hammond and Williams 326). Whether or not this was the primary motivation in the marketing and distribution of Titanic, the companies reeled in the profits from the boatload of tie-ins. Titanic was released in 1997 and to this day there are cinema ticket sales being sold in 3D, DVD and video rentals, and the sale of licensed and, at times unlicensed merchandise. “The films unprecedented theatrical success quickly overflowed into lucrative ancillary markets. From the soundtrack album to couture fashions, from recycled film props in the upscale J. Peterman catalog to jewelry and lifeboat replicas, sales of Titanic-related merchandise matched the intense discursive interest in all things “Titanic” evidenced in Internet chat rooms, television documentaries, and publishing trends. As Michael Klein noted, the film “has had a stunning effect on popular culture, dazzling trend- spotters and confounding market experts amazed at the public’s desire to buy into a disaster” (Sandler and Studlar 1). People really bought into Titanic, every high concept element that the film is composed of found its niche audiences and got them to buy.

Titanic’s centrality for the entertainment industry is paramount for the high-concept method. There are several elements that construct a “high-concept” film, and the ones analyzed in this paper are prevalent in Titanic, a lucratively marketed and distributed film. Certain elements in the film such as its “narrative framing device linking the past and present, the cross- class romance in a disaster picture, and the nostalgic appeal of the film’s evocation of classical Hollywood” (Sandler and Studlar 53) made it so diverse and offered pleasure for a large target audience. Wyatt’s high concept method that places marketing as the driving foce behind creative decision-making in mainstream Hollywood films was prevalent in all aspects of Titanic; I think I chose the perfect film for the topic. The imagery and style were there, it had the “look,” it captured a mass audience, topped box office revenue records, pre-sold stars and subject matter, and merchandising tie-ins. It is said that, “it was the 1970s Blockbusters that set the pattern for the future in being high-prestige, major-studio releases” (Hammond and Williams 170). A future case study could research where the future is headed with film and what patterns high concept films are setting for the future.

Works Cited

Sandler, Kevin, and Gaylyn Studlar. Titanic: Anatomy of a Blockbuster. New Jersey: Rutgers University Press, 1999. Print.

Williams, Linda Ruth, and Michael Hammond. Contemporary American Cinema. 1st ed. New York: Open University Press, 2006. 548. Print.

Wyatt, Justin. High Concept: Movies and Marketing in Hollywood. 1. Texas: University of Texas pr, 1994. 237. Print.